• CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works
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    1 天前

    I just saw a video from a local news channel about a different patch of land in Georgia where Georgia Power was given an easement across a bunch of people’s land, essentially cutting these people’s property in half, then they clear cut the forest at the back of their properties and installed some giant transmission line towers also to power datacenters. One young couple interviewed had just bought their property and were planning on using the land to grow food but now they can’t and they also can’t sell because only half their property is usable despite them having paid for the entire plot.

    • Pyr@lemmy.ca
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      18 小时前

      It’s sort of the risk you take when buying a property with an easement though. Their realtor should have disclosed that.

      If it wasn’t there when they bought it the utility company should have had to at least pay market value for the land.

      • Pika@sh.itjust.works
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        17 小时前

        I think in this case they are actually using eminent domain for it.

        Basically they are reaching out to families, asking for permission, and then when denied that permission going through the state/town and getting permission that way.

        The easement taking up half their land was the “compromise” that the utility company gave them, because they already had a notice/permission from the town/state on the entire property. They were going to have the line no matter what, it was whether the current owners wanting to have part of the property, or none of the property. its pretty sickening.

      • NekoKoneko@lemmy.world
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        24 小时前

        They need to sue right away, eminent domain without compensation is a violation of the Fifth Amendment.

        • AA5B@lemmy.world
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          8 小时前

          I’m sure they’re getting compensation. The question is always whether it’s fair compensation. I’m sure they’re claiming they’re just using an easement on the back of the property while they’re saying our entire lives are here and we don’t want to live under power lines

        • roofuskit@lemmy.world
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          24 小时前

          I’m sure some young couple in rural Georgia that just made the biggest purchase of their entire life will jump right on that. I’m sure they’ve got a huge reserve fund for legal expenses set aside. /s

          • corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
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            23 小时前

            Absolutely this.

            While lawsuits seem to drive the American economy, maybe we don’t all have a lawsuit fund to go alongside our medical expense account, because we’re too busy paying for housing and heat and light and food and gas.

            …and maybe we shouldn’t feel like the credible threat of a lawsuit is the only thing keeping people in line.

            • xilophor@lemmy.world
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              22 小时前

              Like AstralPath said, the take a fairly large portion of the final payout, but more than that, when they are working on commission, they pay for all the costs, which isn’t very tempting. For most laywers, if not all, working on commision, the have to be fairly certain of two things:

              1. They have a good chance of winning the case
              2. Their portion payout will cover (and preferably more than cover) the costs they put into it

              Unfortunately, not both are true that often. So, many people are just left screwed over with no way to recover anything

            • AstralPath@lemmy.ca
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              23 小时前

              True, but your settlement to recoup costs gets eaten by the lawyer, likely to leave you with very little at the end of the day. So the defendant gets a slap on the wrist, you get a pittance and you’re still fucked.

              I’d sue no matter what just out of principle, but just sayin’ lol